Adorable rats

Sabine is still separated from the younger rats, but they do get to spend some (supervised) time together. For example, when I'm cleaning the younger girls' cage I'll sometimes put them with Sabine. After all, I'm near enough to hear any disagreements and interfere if necessary. And they need to go somewhere while I'm taking their cage apart.

Usually when the three rats are all crammed into one small cage together they get feisty. They climb the walls (literally) and jump all over each other. Then last night, here's what happened as soon as I finished chores and decided to take them all out for playtime.

Hiding

I didn't even know they would all fit in that tiny igloo. And really, they don't. Which is why I had to get a photo.

Aren't they so cute with their tails sticking out of the igloo, and one of them checking out the entrance to see if it's safe?

Still hiding

Notice that the igloo isn't even sitting on the floor of the cage anymore.

I'm not sure why they were hiding. It couldn't have been because I carried the cage back to my bedroom with all of them in it, could it...? But they're used to me carrying the smaller cages with them inside.

Drooling

Once playtime was over I put Sabine back in her cage before carrying Kora and Aniki to their own bigger cage. When I returned to my bedroom to retrieve Sabine's cage I was met with the above scene: Kokopelle drooling, and Sabine trying to say hi to him.

I'm glad that Sabine is fearless of the cats. So long as cage walls stay between them when they greet each other, all will remain well.